Italy is a very special place to me. I fell in love with it from my very first visit and still adore this country.

Although Rome doesn’t happen to be one of my top favourite Italian places, it’s impossible to underestimate its cultural ancestry. And of course I used it as an inspiration for my shoot.

Actually this post would be more about pics but anyway I’ve included some tips about the shoot as well!

Find your perfect location

If you’re an early bird, you can challenge your destiny and try to shoot at somewhere around Fontana di Trevi – but almost guaranteed you still won’t be there alone, regardless of how hard you try.

If you opt to go for a more relaxed photoshoot, choose a slightly less touristic spot. I went for Trastevere (literally ‘beyond the Tiber’) area for the several reasons.

First of all, I just love it! It hosts some of my favourite Roman locations such as Piazza di Santa Maria, Botanical Garden with a splendid bamboo forest, villa Farnesina and a gorgeous view from Ponte Sisto over the city.

Secondly, you can find there a lot of pretty hidden spots such as stairs, narrows streets, nice walls and restaurants that are open at any hours. Ponte Sisto and the river are just around the corner.

Nevertheless, it stays not very crowded even at midday what definitely elevates it in the list of places to shoot at.

Finally, Italian vibes are on to fullest in here!

Rewatch inspirational movies

Italy has always been full of cinematographic pictures for me. Think Roman Holiday (1953), think La Dolce Vita (1960), think La Grande Bellezza (2013).. Well, I would also suggest you to watch or rewatch To Rome with Love (2012) or A room with a view (1985) for the Florence touch!

Equipment

As for every single photoshoot, prepare your accessories in advance. Hat, sunglasses, various bags, massive jewelry work wonders on photos.

And a bunch of flowers has never killed everyone.

Yummies on spot

Italian cuisine is loved and cherished by an enormous amount of people around the globe. So why not to include these national treasures into your post? Think Aperol Spritz, Pizza, Gelato, Pasta… mmm, I’m already hungry again 🙂

Yes, I must admit that this pasta with truffle (my favourite sort of pasta!) was incredibly tempting and shooting was hard cause I really wanted to just eat it all without delay!

Contrast your dress

Rome allows you to experiment with the outfit as much as you like because it’s so so different!

What about plain classic dresses for the Baroque locations and fantasy dresses for the less fancy streets without their own identy? Or maybe vice versa?

Opt for the comfortable shoes

I don’t frequently wear high heels in everyday life but I occasionally take them to my photoshooting days. Yes, I like to look taller and enjoy when my legs look longer and slimmer 🙂 but definitely not in Rome!

These stone streets will just kill your shoes and might even traumatize your legs if you happen to be unlucky and step into the wrong spot! Please take care of yourself and don’t risk your health for the gram, it isn’t worth it.

Find a bike or a Vespa

What could be more Italian than a bike or a moto in a photo?

Just stroll around the street – bet are you will find some kind of personal transport soon! But please be careful towards the private property of others – for instance, this bike is a public transport.

Fluffy friends

Italians love animals a lot and usually are very friendly towards people who take interest in their pets. It might so happen that they even propose you to include their dog into the photo (but of course don’t be pushy, respect other people’s privacy)!

If you’re lucky you might even make a new acquaintance – as I did with a cat walking around .

Plan your hairdo in advance

Well, this point might look weird, but if you have a long hair and you are modelling with a loose hairdo when it’s +40 degrees, it doesn’t feel like fun. Take some pins with you to change your hairstyle to the up-do during the shoot, and it’ll kill two birds with one stone: the heat would be more bearable and you can shoot several looks in one go.

Hope you have enjoyed my today’s blog! Yours, Anna xxx